A Healthy Glow
by PPM
Summary: Raven is harboring feelings for someone, but someone else finds out about it in the worst way.


Ever since the Brotherhood of Evil had been defeated, Raven had never thought she'd see that one person again. That voice, that bitter cynicism, that face… well, she assumed his face was beautiful, because everything else was attractive about him. If it weren't for those damn bandages getting in the way... 

Of course, that wasn't the point. She just couldn't deny her feelings for him any longer. The girl didn't actually know when she had first realized it, though – perhaps when she discovered he was entirely too old for her, or maybe when she found out about his radioactivity. Both of those things were such turn-ons. And secretly, she hoped that the Brain would somehow get unfrozen so the Doom Patrol could be active once again.

At times, there were definite benefits to being the token creepy one. For one, nobody ever bothered you. That gave Raven the freedom to meditate alone in front of her shrine to that gauze-bodied man she madly loved. The crowning glory of that shrine was a piece of bandage from his body that she had torn off at one point or another. It was almost worth the radiation burns.

"Larry..." she chanted with the same tone as her incantations. "Larry Trainor..." If any of the other Titans knew about this, she knew they'd have a fit. Especially Beast Boy, who secretly loved Raven madly -- except, being an empath, Raven knew, so it wasn't exactly a secret anymore. But there was nothing green-skin could do to drive her away from no-skin, and so she really didn't care.

As if on cue, a vaguely amused, but mostly toneless, voice began speaking from behind her. "Raven. I knew you loved me ever since the moment I met you."

Raven spun around, startled, and got to her feet quickly. "Larry! I knew you'd come back here one day!"

"How could I ever stay away from you?"

The way his voice never changed, even when he was trying to be romantic... it was so _sexy._ Raven found it absolutely irresistible. "You mean...?"

"Ever since the day we met, I knew you were perfect for me."

Raven wasn't paying attention to his words anymore; she couldn't take her eyes away from where his lips should have been, underneath all those bandages. "Oh, Azar... Larry, kiss me!"

"I thought you'd never ask," Negative Man responded before moving closer and grabbing Raven by the sides, pulling her in for a bandage-on-lips kiss that was easily one of the most passionate either of them had had in their lives.

Naturally, it was at this point that Beast Boy decided to knock on Raven's door. But with Negative Man's hands on her head covering her ears, she couldn't hear the knock. Who cared if there was anyone at the door anyway? She was lost in the emotion of the moment and it had never felt better.

Of course, Raven plus emotions never equaled good things happening -- it was the green kid's shocked shriek that pierced through Raven's love's hands and finally got to the girl's ears. Her eyes went wide and she gasped. _"My powers... they must have opened the door!"_ she thought with horror as the two men gaped at each other.

"_Negative Man_?.!"

"_Garfield_?.!"

It definitely didn't help Beast Boy's case that he was holding a bouquet of purple flowers that he had bought for Raven with his GameStation fund. As fate would have it, tonight was the night he was finally going to profess his undying love for Raven. It had taken him all week to work up the courage, too... and here was Negative Man, kissing Raven right in front of him.

Wow.

Just... wow.

"Beast Boy! It's not what it looks like!" Raven tried calming him down, but that really wouldn't have much effect, she realized, because... well, how could she explain it away? She was choking on anti-uranium and needed radioactive CPR? She loved the taste of Band-Aid in the morning?

"Really? 'Cause it looks like you and Negative Man are kissing!" Beast Boy looked about ready to attack one of them.

Negative Man took control of the conversation from there. "We were, Garfield. Before you came along. Because the truth is that Raven loves me and I love Raven. And it's been that way ever since the first time we met, way back when we were trying to stop that black hole generator."

Beast Boy looked from current team member to former team member and back again, the same confused and dumbfounded expression on his face. "You're... kidding, right?"

The two shook their heads in unison, then Raven picked up talking. "We're serious, Beast Boy. We love each other. More than anyone ever. More than Robin loves Starfire, or you love Terra."

"But... but Terra was a bitch, Raven!" Beast Boy yelled. "She was just getting in the way of my love for you! I love you more than he does! And I'll prove it, too!"

"What are you going to do, Garfield?" If Negative Man had an eyebrow to raise, he'd be doing it as hard as he could.

"I'll... I'll fight you for her!"

"Are you serious?" the lovers asked simultaneously, but as Beast Boy threw the flowers down and started charging forward at Negative Man, it became clear that he was.

Not that he could show emotion, but Larry's face was emotionless anyway. With one hand, he began peeling away the bandages on his other hand. By the time Beast Boy was within range, enough of Negative Man's hand was exposed to be effective. He casually placed it on Beast Boy's shoulder.

As the green teenager fell over dead from overexposure to radiation, Raven began rewrapping her love's hand, put one arm around his neck, and pulled him down to her for another long and passionate kiss.


End file.
